Another month has passed. It seems that time is flying by. Our progress towards being prepared for our June start date is moving slowly, but it is moving. We've had a few curve balls thrown our way. Namely our transmission going out on our main vehicle, which set us back $1400. I still think we will be able to manage, but $1400 is still a large amount of money to part with at this point.

I've probably mentioned it before, but our start date will be defined by the amount of snow in Colorado. Snow on the high passes of Colorado usually doesn't melt enough to allow passage until later in June. Therefore our start date has to be late enough that we will not arrive in Colorado before the snow melts. I would hate to not be able to ride over the high passes.

Snow levels, at this point, aren't high. I would say they are below normal for the year. So I'm hoping we will be able to leave in the early part of June.

On the flip side, the longer we wait, the hotter the deserts of Utah and Nevada will become. But I guess hot going is better than no going.

In my explorations through other traveler's travellouges, I had noticed that there was a trail in Colorado called the Rainbow Trail. When I began perusing the maps sent to me by Sam Correro, I noticed that the Rainbow Trail was missing from the maps. I contacted Sam and found out he had deliberatley taken the Rainbow Trail from the Trans-Am trail. He said the Rainbow Trail is too difficult for big dual-sport bikes and most people didn't want to try it, but it was still open.

I then contacted another rider who had completed the Trans-Am trail while the Rainbow Trail was still a part of it. Chris Jones had completed the trail a few years ago and was nice enough to make copies of the the sections of his maps that included the Rainbow Trail. Our decision to try it will be left to how we feel when the time comes, but at least we have the option now.

Now, on to purchases for the month of February.

We were able to purchase another set of saddlebags early on in the month. So we are all set in that regard.

Protection for the bottom of our bikes is always a concern when rocks on the trail are

possible(and it is possible!!). I acquired skid plates from Utah Sport Cycle todo the protecting. Visions of rocks gouging holes in the bottom of a motor filled my sleep, until I installed these babies. No more. If we knock a hole in these, we won't be worried about the bikes!

Stock chain guides are generally made of just hard plastic. I've

purchased a chainguide for the DR(because the stock one is in pieces) from Fredette Racing. This guide is hard plastic covered in metal, for those rocks that have have a way of reaching out and touching flimsy plastic.

Saving space and weight is always a plus when packing. If products can be combined into one, thus saving space and weight, then the product if very beneficial. Motio

n Pro Tools makes axle wrenches that have tire irons on the other end. I purchased one for each bike.

Tools, in general, will take up enourmous amounts of space. Rocky Mountain MC sells T-handle wrenches that have 1/4 inch sockets on each wrench end. I will probably not carry a ratchet atall. The possibility of a ratchet breaking is always there. The T-handle will

not break unless something weird happens.

To carry these tools, I've employed a tool wrap made by Malcolm Smith Racing. Two of these wraps should hold most, if not all of our tools.

Our big, necessary items are purchased after this month. Although I've been suprised at how quickly small items add up. I'm sure small items will eventually equal the amount that's spent on large items each month.

We're planning a shake down trip for our spring break within the state of Texas. I've made roll charts a la Trans-Am roll charts. I'm hoping we can find our weaknesses in order to better help us prepare.

The learning process has been great so far. See you next month.

March